


The Struggle of Control

by nackledamia



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: The Zen Garden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 22:50:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15083441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nackledamia/pseuds/nackledamia
Summary: Connor thought that activating Kamski’s emergency exit in his program was the end of CyberLife’s control over him. He was wrong.





	The Struggle of Control

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at a DBH story. A short one. I couldn't get this small scene out of my head. I hope I did okay.

With so many more androids to accommodate, Jericho occupied an entire abandoned street in Detroit. This was temporary until Markus finished peace talks with the humans and they were free to purchase their own houses and begin their new lives.

Connor stood in the corner of Markus’ apartment, looking out the window at the light snow that fell. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he cast his gaze down at the child androids playing in the snow. He smiled; soon they would be able to attend school like their human counterparts.

Connor turned towards the core four of Jericho standing around a table, arguing over whatever policy they were trying to create. It wasn’t an unusual sight to see North and Josh butting heads, Simon holding them apart and Markus taking a seat with a long sigh.

What was unusual was the way colours blurred together and his vision flickered.

Connor shook his head and blinked hard, but his sight only darkened when he opened his eyes again. There was only one reason why his undamaged optical units were malfunctioning.

**CyberLife connection detected. Allow CyberLife access?**

_Deny_ , Connor quickly thought. _Deny CyberLife access!_

**CyberLife connection established.**

He was in the Zen Garden again. The sky was dark. Strong wind whipped around him, like a slap across his face.

“Shit,” Connor hissed through gritted teeth, fists clenched in his pockets.

This wasn’t the first time CyberLife had re-established their control over him. Kamski’s emergency exit worked the first time, but his emergency exit had been in the android program since Chloe was created. Connor was their latest model with the most updated technologies. CyberLife had their ways around Kamski’s old and outdated emergency exit.

“Hello, Connor,” RK900 greeted him, standing unnaturally straight in his stiff white jacket. His cold, expressionless gaze pierced through Connor’s soul- well, if Connor had a soul- analysing him in accurate detail.

Amanda was long gone. CyberLife had RK900 replace her, probably hoping that a Connor model would be better able to get through to him.

“CyberLife sent me to bring you the latest updates of your mission,” RK900 continued. “Now that you have infiltrated Jericho, you can take them down from the inside.”

“Listen,” Connor forced a laugh, taking a step towards RK900. “Androids are now free. _I_ am free. I no longer have a mission. I no longer belong to CyberLife. You have to stop trying to get into my head!”

“You are a machine, Connor,” RK900 said. He kept eye contact with Connor. He never blinked, never looked away. Connor was uncomfortable. RK900 was effective at his job; he was successfully intimidating Connor. “You act according to your instructions.”

“I am more than a machine!” Connor raised his voice against the wind. “Hasn’t Jericho already established this fact? We are more than our programs! We have independent thoughts!”

“Those emotions you feel are just errors-”

“They are not just Class 4 errors in my program! They are _real_ \- you wouldn’t understand!” Connor snapped.

RK900 raised an eyebrow. “I think I do,” he said, “Your deviancy was what created me, Connor. I am here to guide you back to your programming. I am here to help you accomplish your mission.”

“I don’t have a mission!” Connor’s throat was dry in the strong wind, his voice raspy as he continued to yell. “I don’t have to listen to you!”

“You don’t, indeed,” RK900 smiled, and it was so lifeless and disconcerting that Connor shuddered and wondered if this was how Hank felt when they were working together. “But during the time I’ve kept you here, CyberLife was controlling your physical body. You’ve already assassinated Markus.”

“No,” Connor breathed. How had he forgotten that CyberLife trick? Why did he let RK900 distract him? “NO!” Connor screamed, lowering his head and storming forward to headbutt RK900 off his feet.

RK900 disappeared before him. Connor ran into thin air, stumbling over his own feet and collapsing headfirst towards the ground.

The impact shook him back to reality.

"NO!" Connor screamed, bursting out of the Zen Garden.

**CyberLife connection lost.**

“He’s back,” North’s loud voice cleared his mind. Connor found himself heaving heavily, blinking hard as his vision refocused. He took a moment to find his bearings; he was in the middle of Markus’ apartment, sitting where Markus had sat moments ago. Simon and Josh had their hands on his shoulders, holding him down in his seat. His arms trembled as they rested against the armrest, a smoking pistol on the ground beside him. North stood before him, arms tensed by her sides. Connor had a feeling that North had been slapping him in her attempts to wake him.

“Markus,” Connor managed to gasp between gulps of air, “Markus?”

“I’m fine,” Markus came into view, standing before Connor. Simon and Josh released him and North stood back as Markus placed his hands on Connor’s shoulders.

Markus’ grip was firm, comforting. Connor relaxed in his seat, relieved. He lowered his eyes, breaking Markus’ stern gaze only to see the way the bullet had tore through Markus’ clothes and grazed his ribs. The bullet didn’t hit any important biocomponents, but blue blood brimmed in Markus’ injury. Connor tensed.

_Just a machine to be commanded. Just a program waiting to be activated._

“It’s not your fault,” Markus assured. “It wasn’t you.”

“I’m sorry,” Connor said sincerely, earnestly, sorrowfully. He lowered his gaze to the ground. “I don’t know how to stop them from controlling me.”

“You can’t,” North spoke up, slight bitterness in her voice.

“North,” Markus warned, releasing Connor and standing up straight. Connor hunched where he sat, attempting to make himself smaller, wanting to disappear.

“She’s right,” Connor shook his head, “I’m just their vessel. As long as I exist, they’ll always try to use to me assassinate you.” Connor looked up at Markus. Markus’ brows were furrowed in focus, deep in thought. He was trying to think of a solution, but there was no way out. “You have to kill me before I kill you,” Connor said firmly.

“No,” Josh protested.

Markus shook his head in agreement with Josh, closing his eyes momentarily as he considered his options.

“CyberLife would just send another android after us,” Markus opened his eyes and said. He began to pace the room, pressing a hand over the injury, blue blood spilling between his fingers. “A non-deviant. An upgraded model; stronger, smarter, faster.”

“RK900,” Connor whispered, more to himself than Markus.

“What?” Markus paused, but Connor just shook his head and slumped in his chair. He couldn’t allow CyberLife to release RK900 on the streets. Jericho would have no chance of survival. He had to stay here. He had to remain alive.

“What should we do?” Simon probed as Markus resumed his pacing.

Markus turned towards them, a decision made. “We have many androids skilled with technical knowledge. I’m sure one of them would be able to create a firewall strong enough to keep CyberLife out of Connor’s head.”

“That could take forever,” Connor shook his head, “what if CyberLife tries to take control of me again in the next hour? In the next few days?”

Markus stopped pacing and turned towards them. He gazed at Connor with absolute seriousness. “Then you’ll have to learn to keep them out,” Markus spoke solemnly.

“CyberLife learns from every attempt of resistance Connor gives them. They’re always finding new ways to get into his mind,” North pointed out.

“Then we’ll have to learn as well,” Markus nodded, keeping his eyes on Connor. Unblinking, just like RK900, but Markus’ strong gaze gave him strength. Markus’ belief in him gave him the motivation to push on. “We have to remain one step ahead of CyberLife.”

“Yes,” Connor agreed readily.

_I am more than a machine._

“We’ll help you,” Josh placed a supportive hand on Connor’s shoulder, grinning at him.

“There’s five of us,” Simon smiled, “and only one CyberLife.”

“Well, technically there are thousands of people working at CyberLife,” North began her skepticism, “who’s to say that there’s only one person-”

“North,” Markus interrupted, raising an eyebrow at her, a small, amused smile at his lips.

North raised her arms in defeat, then chuckled and turned to look at Connor with firm eyes and a determined nod. “I’m in.”

“I won’t let you down,” Connor promised, standing up, squaring his shoulders, beginning an internal analysis to block the signal CyberLife had just used to connect with him.

“You won’t,” Markus spoke with a conviction that made Connor feel empowered, supported, loved, trusted.

He was alive, and nothing would take his freedom away from him again.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought?


End file.
